“Making someone else happy makes me happy too”: Year 9 GMAS student organises care packages for the elderly

Easter has come early at Baptistcare William Carey Court, with residents spoilt rotten with care packages from Georgiana Molloy Anglican School. Conducted by Year 9 service leader Drew West, students worked together to compile 30 gift packs to give to the residents for Easter. The bags contain jigsaws, games and books along with notes from Year 7 students and questionnaires the residents can fill out and send back to the students. A small group of students met with residents at the aged-care home last Monday to make the surprise delivery. Drew, 14, said he simply wanted to “brighten the residents’ day”. “Aged care has been hit hard by COVID, not just this year, but all the other years and I heard of restrictions and people not being able to get visitors and not being able to have contact for weeks so I thought it might be something nice to do,” he said. “Making someone else happy makes me happy too.” William Carey Court manager of residential care Dom Trombetta said the donation was a very generous and selfless act. “We want to reiterate our appreciation for the fact that you guys have thought of our residents here,” he said. “It will make a difference to our residents’ days . . . so we’re very thankful and let’s hope this has started something new and special between Baptistcare and GMAS.” In addition to the care packages, residents were also treated to a large assortment of Easter chocolates and a donation of a variety of glasses cases from OPSM, something head of middle school Lisa Ness said would benefit the residents.